Train-pipe coupling.



P. 0. COLE.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1912.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914.

B. 0. 00LE. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY 7, 1912 1,090,453. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- of Oklahoma, have PROCTOR O. COLE, DIE GOULD, OKLILHOMA.

TRAIN-PIPE con-rune.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 17. this.

Application filed May 7, 1912. Serial No. 695,704.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PROCTOR O. COLE, citizen of the United States, residing at- Gould, in the county of Harmon and State invented certain newand useful Improvements in Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to train-pipe conplings'and has for its object the provision of simple mechanism whereby the train-pipes may be automatically coupled when the cars, upon which they are mounted, are coupled, and the ends of the fluid conduits brought into alinement and connected by an air-tight joint.

, Secondary objects of the invention are to provide means whereby the heads of the trainpipe coupling will be guided into proper engagement automatically as the cars come together, and willbe held together in such manner astolpreswthe joint between the fluid-conveying passages or conduits, while yielding to the relative movement of the cars when the train is passing around a curve; also to provide means whereby the coupling heads will be held projected when uncoupled, so that they will be in position to properly engage the meeting coupling head when the cars are again brought together, and to provide means for connecting the improved coupling with the couplings now in use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyiug drawings, and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being subsequently pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :'Figure 1 is a plan view of two coupling heads embodying my invention and showing the same engaged; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, taken on the central line 2-42 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal central, longitudinal section; Fig. i is a view showing the two heads thereby establishing com in perspective and uncoupled. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse vertical section through the shank of the coupler head. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of a valve employed to permil; the coupling to be used with the ordi nary coupling now in common use.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a coupling head, 1, having its front end cut away, as shown most clearly in. Fig. 8, there by providing the forwardlyprojecting arm 2 at one side of its central longitudinal line. I

A passage 3 is formed through the coupling head for the flow of the fluid, and this pas-- sage 1s carried to a point near the front end of the arm 2, where it is turned laterally inward so as to open through the inner face of the said arm and provide a port 4.

A coupling head, of course, is mounted on each car, and when the heads are brought together, the forwardly extending arms 2 will overlap, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, and the ports l in the heads will be brought into alinenient, as shown in Fig. 8, "unication through the'two heads, so that t 1e fluid in the trainpipe may flow through all the cars of the train. The device is intended more specially for connecting the ends of the train-pipe controlling the brakes of the cars, but it will ordinarily be provided with three or more passages. or conduits, similar to the passage 3, so that the steam heating pipes and the signal pipes, as well as the air-brake trainpipes, will be automatically and simultaneously coupled.

In the inner side face of the arm 2, I form a recess 5 in which a gasket- 6 is seated, and

the gaskets "of the opposed heads will fit together when the heads are coupled, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and will be slightly compressed, so as to pack the joint between the heads and prevent leakage. The inner edges of the gaskets project beyond the face of the heads, and to prevent the gaskets being damaged by being brought into sliding contact, as the heads are coupled, I pro ide the projections or lugs 7 on the inner faces of the heads in advance and slightly above and below the gaskets, so that when the heads meet they sufiicient extent to permit the clear each other, andthen move in the plane of their axes to be brought into cngz fz'fl'lltili. To eiiectthis lateral movement of the heads, the inner faces of the arms are beveled or inclined outwardly and forwardly, as shown at 8, and these inclined or beveled meet as the heads are brought together and consequently force each head slightly away from the central longitudinal line of the coupling until the lugs or projections "4' have cleared each other, whcreupmi the heads will be moved toward. the central longitudinal line of the coupling to bring the gaskets; together and cause the said lugs or projections to engage behind each other, as shown most clearly in 1.

gaskets to The forward end of the coupling head is beveled rearwardly in rear of the gasket at the same angle or degree of-obliquity as the forwardly beveled surface 8 so as to acconnnod'ate the forwardly extending arm of an opposed head and permit' the lateral 'inovelncnt by which the ports are caused toregister.

To facilitate the lateral fmovement of the heads and to'yieldingly hold them together, I employ the springs 9, one of which is secured to each head near the rear end therecoupling head'under or of, and at the side opposite the projecting arm 2. The spring extends forwardly to a point about in line with the port 4:, and its free end is equipped with a roller 10 adapted to ride upon the outer face of the forwardly projecting arm 2 of the opposed coupling head and engagea recess 11 in the outer side of said arm, so that the strength of the spring will be exercised to move the opposedhead into engagement with the head to,

whichthe spring is secured and to hold the heads in engagement.

so that after the ports are in alinement the heads will be oppositely moved laterally to. bring the ports together. Moreover, this particular construction limits the lateral movement imparted to the heads by the engaging oblique faces of the forwardly projecting arm and the opposed head, so that the strain upon the guide and the retaining spring will be relieved, and the heads can- 'not be moved laterally to such an extent'in one direction to permit the gaskets to clear the projecting portions of the heads that thelateral movement in the opposite direction to bring the ports together cannotbe effected.

The free ends of the springs 9 play through openings 13 formed in the guiding plates 14 which are secured-to the sides of the heads. somewhat in advance of the rear ends of the springs 9, and are adapted to fit closely against the outer sides of the coupling heads, as shown in heads in engagement. The free -e'n ds of these spring-plates 14 are flared somewhat outwardly, and at their upper and lower edges are provided with flanges 15 adapted to extend over the.top and bottom of the opposed head. These springs thusserve as guides to edectually 'guidethe heads together in the act of coupling, and the flanges Fig. 3, to hold the 15 at the upper and lower edgeso'i' these. springs will tend to limit the independent vertical movement of the heads, while, at the same time, permitting sufficient; movement to accommodate differences. in 'the heights ofthe cars. i

To aid in guiding the heads together and to prevent vertical disengagement of the same, I provide on the top and the bottom of each coupling head, a keeper 16 which extends over the rear portion of the arm 2 and projects beyond the same, so that when the heads are coupled, the said keepers 16 will pass above and' -below' the ends of the opposed projecting arms and thereby resist. any tendency of said arms'to vibrate vertically and thus throw the ports .of the conduits or passages 3 out of alineinent.

A cut-off valve 17 is mounted in the rear I bortion of each head, and this cut-off alve AS operated by a rod 18 extending to the.

sides of the-car. so that. the valve may be {\LljllSl-Qd without requ ring the operator to i pass between. the cars; In rear of the said cut-off valve, the fiuid'passage 3 is carried laterally to emerge throu h the side of the head, and a hose or flexi'le-"coupling 19 is provided to connect the said passage with the train-pipe 20. i

The coupling heads will be preferably supported by suitable hangers depending from the car cou hugs, and the rear ends of the heads wil be slidably mounted in sills or beams 21 forminga partof the car frame, a spring 22.being fitted around the rear end of the head, between the said beam orsill and ashoulder on the head, so as to.

yieldingly hold the head forward and perunit the head to cushion under. the impact of coupling. A stop 23 of any convenient form will be provided on the rear extremity of the head to engage the beam or sill 21 and thereby prevent the. spring 22 throwing the head from its supports. provided in one side,in advance of the coiled spring 22, with a notch 24 in which the end of a spring 25 may engage when the heads are uncoupled, so that the head will be held in its-projected position and no adjustment of the same will be needed when it is again desired to couple the cars.

To the hanger'will be secured depending springs26 having their lower ends bearing against the opposite sides of the stem or shank of the coupling head, so that the said head will be maintained in the central longitudinal line of the car, except during the slight interval of time when they are de-' flected laterally sufficiently to permit the coupling operation to be performed. I also The head is 5 p p provide in the passage 3, between the cut-off valve 17 and the free end of the coupling -jliead, a valve 27 controlling a port or pasisage '28 opening through the bottom of the 'fcoupling head and equipped with a nipple 29 to permit the attachment of a short hose 30 adapted to be connected with a hose on an opposing or meeting car by means of the ordinary coupling now in common use. The valve 27' is constructed with two ports or passages 31'32, and is also equipped with a handle 33 above the coupling head to permit its manipulation. When the handle'33 is arranged parallel 'withf-the coupling head, the port 31 will be caused to aline with the passage 3 at both sides of the valve, as shown in Fig. .7, whereby the airwill be permitted to pass through the coupling head to the ports l, and the transmission ofthe fluid effected through the engaged coupling heads.

Should the car, -however, be coupled to a car not equipped with my improved coupling, "the train-pipes will be coupledin the ordinary manner and the handle 83 then 'turned diagonally of the coupling head, so that the air will then pass through the port 32 into the hose and so into the train-pipe on the other car. The fluid-may, of course, be entirely cut off by means of the valve 17 in either instance.

It is thought the many advantages of my improved coupling will be readily underinner side wall of said arm, the side wall contalnmg said stood and appreciated from the foregoing description, companying drawings, and detailed mention of the'same is deemed unnecessary.-

Having thus described myinvention, what 1Q A train pipe coupling comprising a coupling head having a forwardly project port in the the portion of port extending longitudinally of the coupling head and beingprqvided with lateral projections in advanceand above and below the port, the

front. face of-saisl' arm extending obliquely taken in connection with the ac the said side to enga e the projecting arm ofan opposed head, 'cepers upon the top and bottom'of the head adjaeent the oppositely inclined faces of the same and project ing forwardly beyond said faces and terminating short of the top and bottom of the adjacent guide, and a retaining spring sooured to the rear end of the head and extending outwardly and forwardly from the head in spaced relation to the-outer face of the guide, and then extending toward and projecting through the guide in rear of the front end, thereof to bear laterally upon the outer side of the projecting arm of an opposed head approximately in the plane of the lateral port.

2., In a train-pipe coupling, the combination with a fixed support, of a coupling head yield'ahly and slidably mounted in said support and provided with a notch in one side, and a spring secured to the support and having its free end adapted to. engage said notch whereby to hold the coupling head in its forward position.

In testimony whereof I afiix in presence of two witnesses.

PROGTOR O. COLE.

Witnesses:

AnoHm R. Rnnvps, CLAUD C. PooLE.

my signature Copies of this patent mai' be "obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

the side opposite 

